CURRENT STAGE GROUPING UNDER QUESTION

Abstract

Stage classification of gastric cancer was broadly revised in 1993. this time revision made the stage classification so complicated that use of this revised classification becomes diffucult except some much enthusiastic surgeons. The present study was designed to compare the results between the current classification, old one, and a modified classification containing the nodal number concept. Out of 1464 patients underwent surgical resection at the hospital, 879 patients with P0, H0, excluding “m” cancer and t4 were entered in this study. The number of metastatic lymph nodes was categorized into 4 subgroups, according to every five; 0; 1_??_5; 6_??_10; and over 11. According to the current staging, there shows no significant difference in the cumulative survival rate between stage IIIb and IVa. A multivariate analysis showed superiority of current staging to other two staging results, however, the modified old staging also showed significance. So the classification based on lymph node grouping seems to meet the time of courageous changing to the number concept of lymph nodes.